'Let us start with a countdown..10..09..08..07..06..05..04..03..02..01..And the first finalist of Rhythm of Dance seasons 2 is...'(I didn't get any better name😂)
Pin drop silence prevailed the set,none of their heartbeat was in normal rate.Aadhi and Diya was standing among the participants and waiting in anticipation.

'Its none other than our Masquerade Coupleeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!',the host cheered and all the applauses and blasts thundered over the set!!
Aadhi engulfed her into a bone crushing hug while Diya reciprocated it with atmost happiness.

'Maa...First finalist!Namma dhan', Aadhi muttered and she nodded.No words were coming out from her throat.She was overwhelmed,he won!They won!

'Seri seri..Well wishers, Konjam vareengala...?',the host asked they broke the hug.
'Sollunga..How happy you both are?Yepdi iruku?',the host asked.
They both looked at eachother before placing their palm on their chest, signing a hearty thanks and signed a heart indicating people's and thanked the judges in the same way again.

'Neenga evlo happy ah irukeengalo adhe alavuku naangalum romba romba happy ah irukom...Iniku paarunga hashtag trend aaga pogudhu #themasqueradecouple nu..Unga fans ellarum inneram trend start pannirupaanga and definite ah naanum poi join panna pore...Sandy Master,Suni ma sollunga..',the host turned to the judges.

'Naan Personal ah ivan mela varanum nu romba aasa patten,first avana stage la paatha apove Enaku theriyum indha paiyan inga varuvanu..And naan solliye aaganum..She is your biggest support system,Ipdi oru friend.. Sorry Well wisher unaku kedachadhu romba happy,Innum mela varuva da mela varuva',Sandy master hugged him and Aadhi reciprocated while all his eyes were only on Diya.

'Super ah panna ma nee..All the best',Sandy master moved after giving a handshake to Diya.
'All the best you both!!Naan romba happy!! Sandy sonna maari,Neenga avaroda periya support.. Finals la innu super ah kalakunga..', Sunitha congratulated.

They both signed everyone a thank you and the rest of the finalists were announced.

'Nenache paakala Diya,First finalist ah namma poirukom..Yedho kanavu maari iruku ma..',Aadhi said.
'Idhukellam deserving neenga dhan Aadhi..',Diya said.

'Namma rendu perum deserving dha ma..Neeyum dhana perform panra,namma rendu perum sendhu dhan vandhurukom ivlo dhooram',Aadhi said.

'Irundhaalum...you deserve more credits..Naanu perform panren dhan but equal ah sodhapuren..Adhuvum theriyum enaku..Aana adha neenga stage la manage panreengale..Adhukke ungaluku extra credits kudukanum..Enaku theriyaadhu nu nenachutu irukeengala..',Diya chuckled.

'Maa..Nee endha extra practice,classes lam illamaya ivlo super ah panra,and enakaga nee evlo periya risk eduthruka..idhukellam munnadi naan panadhellam onnume illa ma',Aadhi said while the thanking war continued until the car was stopped by a traffic police.

'License edunga madam..',the traffic police asked.
'Aadhi ulla license Irukum,edungalen',Diya instructed and Aadhi took her's.
'Ullaye vechurunga Aadhi..',Diya said giving him after showing her documents to the traffic police and that's when his eyes fell on her birth date.

'Appo naaliku Diya oda birthday..Which means innum 2 hours la?',Aadhi thought and silently he kept inside.
'Polaama?',Diya asked.
'Polaam ma', Aadhi nodded.

'Namma solla venaam,ellarum tv paathu therinkatum..',Diya said and Aadhi chuckled nodding.
'Seri ma..Appo naan kelamburen..Paathu po, reach aayitu text pannu..',Aadhi bidded bye and Diya left.

'Diyaaa maaaa...',Nila hugged once Diya entered the house.
'Enna di thoongalaya?',Diya asked.
'Illa ma..Unaku dhan wait pannitu irundhen..Seri results enna aachu?',Nila asked.
'Adhuu....Inga vaa',Diya neared her ears while Nila get more excited.

'Sollamaatene..',Diya whispered and Nila sighed in disappointment.
'Enna ma nee..Poo',Nila pouted.
'Tv la paathu therinjukoo..',Diya pulled her nose and Nila twister her lips.
'Seri iru naan fresh aayitu vare..',Diya moved.

The memories of the day passed infront of her eyes and her lips curved.She get into the shower smiling and came out in her pyjamas.
'Nila..En..',Diya came out from her room and found the whole house was dark.

'Enna di aachu? Current illaya?',Diya came out and lights switched on.Her eyes widened in shock but no emotions were found.Her whole family was standing infront of her,with a Birthday cake.

That's when it dawned to her,since the day before ten years it was not birthday for her, it was Kavya's memorial day.

She just ran from there to the terrace leaving everyone behind.
Tears made its way on her cheeks,since that day Diya stopped celebrating her birthday.

'Diya..',she wiped her tears once she heard his voice.
'Enaku theriyum ma..Aana evlo naal?Evlo naal ipdiye iruka pora?',Aadhi asked.
'Yepdi Aadhi? Ennaala epdi ellathayum marakka mudiyum?Aniku Nila phone la azhudhadhu,avala naan poi hospital la paathadhu ellame..Ellame apdiye kannu munnaadi iruku..Yepdi manasu vandhuchu Aadhi avaluku engala vittutu poradhuku?',Aadhi's heart broke into pieces seeing her being vulnerable.

Aadhi just pulled her into his embrace,and letting her tears wet his shirt.

'Appa amma engala vittu ponadhum,Mama va pathi nenachu kooda ava odanju poi ukaarala..Oduna engalukaaga..Amma appa irundhurundha epdi paathurupaangalo,adha vida nallave paathukitaa..Ava Nila ku mattum amma va illa Aadhi, enakum,appa amma nu ellamavume irundha Aadhi..Ava enga kooda illanu ippo varaikum nambave mudila..Enga sandhoshathukagave oditu irundha Aadhi..Ippo mothama poitaa..',Diya sobbed on his chest.

This is what Diya needed,Diya yearned for this warm embrace for the 10 years,to let all her tears and feelings out.

'Maa...Neeye solra akka ku unga sandhosham dha priority nu..Appo nee unaku pudichadha pannama,ipdi happy ah illaama irundha akka kashta pada maatangala?', Aadhi asked and Nila looked up still in his embrace.

'Neeye enta orudhadava sonna,Akka engalukaaga neraya pannita,Naan ini avala happy ah paathukanumnu nyabagam iruka?',Aadhi asked and she nodded silently.
'Hmm..Appo nee ipdi unaku pudicha edhayum pannama,sad ah irundha akka ku pudikuma?',Aadhi asked and she shook her head.

'Appo vaa..Vandhu cake ah cut pannu...Idhellam mudinju ponadhu ma,Pazhasaye nenachutu namma happiness ah elakka koodadhu..Neeye enaku oru promise panni kudutha,ennaikum un sandhoshatha ezhakka maatenu..Adhella nyabagam iruka?Illa madam kaathoda vittuteengala?',Aadhi asked smiling.

'Nyabagam iruku..',she said lowering her volume.
'Kekala..',Aadhi leaned more.
'Nybagam iruku',she said and finally smiled.

'Thats my girl',Aadhi pressed his lips on her forehead which made Diya's blood froze.
'Happy Birthday Diya',he smiled and she slowly pulled back from his embrace, muttering a thank you.
'Vaaa..',Aadhi held her hand.
'Aama.. Enaku birthdays pudikumnnu ungaluku yepdi theriyum?',Diya asked.

'Aniku en bday celebrate panniye,adhulaye therinjudhu..How birthdays mean to you nu', Aadhi said and Diya smiled.

She found his eyes glowed differently.
'En azhagula nee mayangitiya?',Aadhi asked making her come out of her trance.
'Huh?Enna?',she asked and he chuckled.

'Polaam va ma',Aadhi took her down.
The fam wished her and she thanked everyone.
'Hmmm..ithana naala sollitu irukom,oru naal kooda celebrate pannala,Ippo paaru avan vandhu sonnadhum seriya pochu',Pugazh chuckled.

'Adhukellam aalu varanum Pugazh mama..',Nila said making them blush which went unnoticed by the fam but Raghav's eyes caught them.

'Seri seri..Vaa da kanna vandhu cake cut pannu', Meenakshi said and Diya cut the cake.
Diya first fed Aadhi and moved to others.

'Happy Birthday day Diya', Arjun hugged her which irked Aadhi.
'Cha..pesaama ivana koopdaamaye irundhurukalam..',Aadhi rolled his eyes and this too fell on Raghav's eyes.

'Avan ivala katti pudicha ivanuku yen kovam varudhu?',Raghav thought and his thoughts vanished when Diya came near him.
'Happy Birthday thangam', Raghav fed the cake from her piece and Diya reciprocated it muttering a thanks.

'Diyaa...so happy for you..Cha naan dhan pakkathula illama poiten', Vicky pouted and Diya smiled.
'Deii...nee virtual ah eppavum enkooda vae dhan da iruka.. next bday ku paathukalam',Diya smiled.

'Serii.. Happy Birthday',he smiled and she thanked him.
'Happy Birthday ka', Vicky's wife too wished her and the convo went a while.

'Diya..I have something for you..',Arjun gave her a gift box.
'Yedhuku Arjun idhellam?',Diya asked.
'Unakaga vaangunadhu dhan,eppo kudukalamnu wait pannitu irundhe.. Thanks to Aadhi,avaru enna koopta naala dha un special day anike kuduka mudinjudhu,open panni paaru', Arjun said making Aadhi sigh.

'Naane dhan en thalaila mannalli potukitena..',Aadhi huffed.

Diya opened the gift and gasped seeing a golden bracelet.
'Enna Arjun idhu?Yedhuku ivlo costly ah vaangirukeenga?This is very expensive',Diya said and Arjun smiled.

'Unakaga dhana Diya..Idhula enna iruku.. Pudichuruka?',Arjun asked.
'Pudichuruku but..', Arjun stopped her in mid way saying,'No ifs and buts Diya..My present for you,vechuko',Arjun said and Diya nodded while Aadhi's face shrunken.

He felt guilty about his inability,he couldn't gift anything to her.He sighed and stood silently in the rest of the celebration and soon everyone dispersed.

Nila slept soon and the fam bidded bye to her before leaving.Raghav was waiting outside while Aadhi stood infront of her.

'Appo kelamburen..',Aadhi said and Diya nodded.
'Paathu ponga',Diya smiled while Aadhi stood still hesitating.

'Adhu..Diya..Indha varsham enaku unta kudukkura alavuku perusa edhum illa ma..Aana un next birthday ku kandippa edhavadhu..',before Aadhi completes she closed his mouth with her palm.

'Idhuku mela enaku enna periya gift venum Aadhi?Ellarum enaku gift dhan kuduthaanga but you..You gave my birthday back..Idha vida enna perusa venum enaku.. indha 31 varshathula yaarum enaku ipdi oru gift ah kuduthadhe illa..Thank you for the bestest gift',Diya said and Aadhi smiled.

She raised his eyebrows and his gaze moved to her palm,she immediately took it and he smiled.

'Maa...Shall I ask you something?',Aadhi asked.
'Kelunga..Enna permission lam ketutu?',Diya asked.
'Ummm..Will you join me tomorrow,for dinner??',Aadhi asked making her stood still in shock.

TO BE CONTINUED...